Hélène Darroze

Hélène Darroze is the heiress of a line of Landes restaurateurs, where "making people happy" through cuisine is a credo handed down from generation to generation. After graduating from the Sup de Co de Bordeaux business school in 1990, she joined the Hôtel de Paris, in Monte Carlo, to work in hotel management. But her destiny changed when she joined the kitchens of Alain Ducasse, who recognized her potential: " He sensed that deep down inside, I was already irresistibly drawn to cooking. "

In 1995, she took over the family inn Chez Darroze from her father. " I learned an enormous amount from him, both about the profession and the values he espoused: respect for products, authenticity and love of a job well done ". voted " Young Chef of the Year ", she was even awarded the title of " Grand of Tomorrow " by Gault&Millau in 1996. " This title was a real springboard for me. It gave visibility to my work, and enabled me to believe even more in my potential, but it was also a source of pride for my teams, as it rewarded a collective effort ".

A little piece of Landes in the capital

In 1999, Hélène Darroze sold the family establishment and moved to Paris to open her own Hélène Darroze restaurant, renamed Marsan in 2019. In 2008, she even crossed the English Channel to set up shop at the Connaught in London. Her projects then continued to diversify, with addresses such as Villa La Coste, in Provence, and Jòia and soon Maison Michodière in Paris.

La Cheffe has also become a leading figure on the TV show Top Chef since 2015. " I accepted the adventure, because I saw in this show the opportunity to pass on and share with extremely motivated candidates ". Embodying benevolence and high standards, Hélène Darroze has forged strong relationships with the candidates. "In fact, I'll soon be welcoming Mallory Gabsi to the Villa La Coste for a 4-hands dinner, just as I've done in the past with Danny Khezzar and David Galienne ".